US 11,839,407 B2
Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
Avram Scheiner, Vadnais Heights, MN (US); and James Hissong, Jacksonville, FL (US)
Assigned to Medtronic Xomed, Inc., Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed by Medtronic Xomed, Inc., Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/815,463.
Application 17/815,463 is a division of application No. 16/752,023, filed on Jan. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,426,201.
Prior Publication US 2022/0361916 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61N 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/3468 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3403 (2013.01); A61N 1/0548 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00929 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the method comprising:
inserting an introducer needle through tissue near a chin of a patient and through a tongue of the patient, wherein the introducer needle comprises an elongated body having one or more electrically conductive areas, wherein the introducer needle is for creating an opening in the tongue of the patient for implantation of a lead having one or more electrodes for treating OSA, the one or more electrodes of the lead i) align with the one or more electrically conductive areas of the introducer needle when the lead is inserted into the introducer needle; or ii) align with one or more perforations of an introducer sheath when the lead is inserted into the introducer sheath; and
controlling a medical device to deliver a stimulation signal via the introducer needle through the one or more electrically conductive areas to the tongue of the patient to stimulate one or more motor points of a protrusor muscle within the tongue of the patient.